Abstract

PURPOSE
Although chemotherapy is considered as the mainstay of treatment for small cell lung cancer, long-term survival is not expected in the majority of patients. Until more effective drugs are developed, optimization of available chemotherapeutic regimens and the combination with radiotherapy will be required to improve the survival of small cell lung cancer patients. We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the effect of a combination chemotherapy of cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From January 1994 to December 1997, 34 untreated small cell lung cancer patients were enrolled in this study. The treatment schedule included etoposide 80 mg/m/day, ifosfamide 1.5 g/m'/day, cisplatin 20 mg/m/day iv continuous infusion on day 1-3. Cycles were repeated every 4 weeks.
RESULTS
The objective response rate was 58% [localized disease (LD), 100%; extensive disease (ED), 48%]. And complete remission rate was 19% (LD, 38%; ED, 13%). The median survival of all patients was 12 months (LD, 17 months; ED, 12 months). The median duration of response was 7 months. There was one treatment-related death. The hematologic toxicities were tolerable: Leukopenia greater than Grade III was 25%, and thrombocytopenia greater than Grade III was 6%. Nausea and vomiting were seen in most patients, but they were controllable.
CONCLUSION
The combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide as a first line therapy seemed effective with tolerable toxicity in patients with small cell lung cancer.

• Keywords: Small cell lung cancer;Cisplatin;Etoposide;Ifosfamide;Chemotherapy